by J. Ruetas
It happened a long time ago so my details are not completely accurate. It was also a traumatic experience for me, so I kept quiet about it for many years. It happened at my parents' home in Brampton, Ontario, Canada. They still live in the same house, which is a small townhouse. I was around seven years old at the time. It was late at night, maybe around 8:00 PM...since that was regarded as late for me at that age. I started walking up the stairs with two of my cousins to my left, who were around the same age as me. I think I made it up one or two stairs before I noticed a woman standing at the top of the stairs. It was shocking because she seemed to appear from thin air. She immediately said “Stop, go no further!” with a very authoritative voice.
I can remember many details about her, except her face. She wore a red robe that had a yellow cross as its design. The yellow cross went from top to bottom and left to right. I still wonder if the robe and the cross have any special meaning in the church. She also held a very bright candle in her left hand; the brightest light I have ever seen in my life. All I can remember was she had black hair, but I can’t seem to remember its length or even her facial features. She held up her right hand to motion us to stop, which all of us did. Then she proceeded to say the words “Obey your father …” at which time I started running the other way. I ran down the step or two I was on, down the hallway, into the living room and hid under the sofa. I can’t remember anything afterwards. I believe I must have fallen asleep from fright. I remember these details because I think about this event almost every day of my life.
A little background about me is that I am Roman Catholic. It was very shocking to me because I was raised to believe that Angels were pleasant. Though nothing mean was mentioned, it was the tone of voice spoken with. The lady was very authoritative and was almost yelling at me and my cousins. It took me until my mid-twenties to start sleeping with the light off. I am currently 35, and sometimes when I am alone, I still leave the light on. It also kind of messed up my sense of reality. Up to my mid-twenties I kept wondering what in the world is real. In some cases, I was scared that this lady would appear to me again from thin air.
The weird thing about the whole experience is that I have not spoken with my cousins about the experience. I have been tempted to, but with my cousin’s condition I have decided not to. One of my cousins (who also witnessed this) still suffers from depression. In her mid-teens she tried to take her own life by cutting her wrists. I think she is still on medication to this date. The only reason I know she remembers the incident, was that she has told other relatives her account (seeing a lady at the top of the stairs at my parent’s home) and refuses to go to my parent’s home. I only heard about her story a few years ago from my sister whom heard it from her, or someone that she told.
I still question, "Who was this lady?" Was she an angel? Why did she appear to me and my cousins? What was she trying to say? What do the words, 'Obey your father' mean? Did this really happen?" The only question I believe I can answer is that it did really happen. What are the chances we come up with same account when we have mentioned it to other relatives? It was actually my sister who put it together, telling me my cousin said the same story. I would be very willing to take a lie detector test, and I know I would easily pass with flying colors.
In my religion, I was taught that it was a blessing to see an angel. For a large portion of my life I believed the opposite and wished I had never seen her.
This is the first time I have mentioned the event in detail. I must say it is very refreshing to share my experience. I believe I will see the cousin I mentioned in the next few months. At that time, I plan on drawing a picture of what I had seen and show it to her. I’m curious what her reaction will be. I just hope I don’t trigger her depression. It will be nice to finally ask her about her account of the event.